Chassis or frame construction



March 12, 1929. L 'THOMS ETAL 1,704,928

CHASSIS 0R FRAME CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 29. 1926 nwntow S nzzmm/feey IYN ,5oz/11s 72191727.15'

1 WMM www ted Mar. 12, 1929.

narran starr.

Louis Tnoas AND .WILLIAM n. nanny,

raiser tries,

OF DETRI-T, MC'I-IIGAN, ASSIGNORS TO DIANA.

CHASSIS OR FRAME CONSTRUCTION.

Application 'filed November 29, 1926. Serial No. 151,555.

The invention relates to chassis or trame ci'mstructions and moreparticularly to improvements 'therein involving a novel construction andarrangement ot longitudinally s extending torsional members.`

The present invention contemplates a structure including longitudinallyextending tubular torsional membersI arranged substantially parallel andadjacent to the side sill or rail members oi the chassis and operativelyassociated with two or more cross trame members one ot which constitutesthe rear engine support. In the illustrative embodiment ol the inventionherein shown.4 and described, cach 'torsional member .is rigidlyrotatably connectedat one end 'to the engine support and at the otherloa Vtrame member and extends through a bers ii'itermediate its ends butis not non-rotatably'connected to these intermeoiate cross members.

ly such an larrangement numerous noteworthy advantages are attainedcoi'icerning the strength, rigidity and durability olf the chassis. For`insmnce by this arrangement the disastrous weaving and otherobjectionable stresses imparted to thel ihassis are re sisl'ed by thesetorsional members and consequently reduced to a minimum.V Furthermore byextending ther torsional members through the intermediately arrangedcross members the de sills oi`i the chassis are Vsupported againstvertical as well as horizontal i Still another important advantage r ltstrom the connection between these port because by such an arrangementadditioual'support is `given to the engine. Howeverr ah ot theadvantages, in so iar as torsioual rigidity is concerned, is in the`iframe independent of the engine mounting.

The several objects, advantages and novel details of construction andlarrangement ot parts will be made more apparent as this descriptionproceeds especially when considered in connection with the accompanyingdrawings wherein;

Figure 1 is a top planview ot a chassis or frame constructed inaccordanceV with our invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary onal members and the rear enginesupj longitudinal sectional view taken substan-l tially on the planeindicated by line2-`-2 in Figure l and lligiiire 3 'is an enlargedfragmentary transverse sectional. view taken substantially on the planeindicated by line in Fig'- urek 1; i i l Referring now particularly tothe drawing wherein like reference characters indicate Ylike parts itwill be noted that there .is illustrated the chassis or :traine of avehicle which includes a pair of longitudinally extending spaced sidesills 0r rails l0 of customary channel shape in cross section, rigidlyunited and secured in spaced relation *by a suitable number of crossframe inembers. Among these cross 'trame members are included crossmembers 11, 12 and 13 ar-. ranged at longitudinally 'spaced intervals.ln the illustrative` en'ibodiment of the invention as herein shown anddescribed each ot`y these crossmembers consists essentially ot a barllshaped or channel'fsliaped in cross section, the ends or which extendinto the channels ot the side sills 10 and are secured to the bases ot`the channels of the side sills tlnfoug'h laterally extending 'flanges'14;,by vrivets or other 'fastening means. Reintoro ing plates 15 arepreferably secured to the top andbottom ot cachot the cross members andare in turn riveted or otherwise secured to the 'lateral tlanges'ot theside sills, n

The reference character 16 indicates a motor support cross memberconstituting the rear motor support, this member being` mounted upon andrigidly connected to the side sills v1() by means 'ot' brackets 17. Asshown more particularlyfin Figure 3 cach bracket 17 `has a-{yeripheralportion 18 ot an arcuatexcontour adapted to be secured Abymeans ,of a plurality of bolts or other similar fastening moans to theaforesaid motor support. The opposite edge portion ot' the kbracket 17is provided with a laterally extending flange 2() for connection withthe side sills 10. The upper and lower edge ot the bracket 17 is formedwith la laterally extending web 21 01 a substantially tri-angularconfiguration in plan view which webs extend from the extremities of thearcuate peripheral portion 1S to a point adjacent the lateral 'flange 20where they terminate4` in substantially horizontal portions 22 adaptedto lie adjacent and' parallel with the lateral flanges ot the side sillsso as to enable the parts to be secured to the side sills at this pointas lor instance by means of rivets 23.

The reference character 24- indicates a longitudinally extending tubulartorsional member, tivo of such members being shown in the presentembodiment of the invention. Each torsional member 24extendslongitudinally as atoredescribed and arranged adjacent toandsubstantially parallel with one ot the side sills 1t). Thesetorsional members extend from the rearmost cross member 11 to thebracket 17 arranged in alignment. with the motor support cross r' embcr.

llach o'lthe cross members 11, 12 and 13 is *irovided With a pair oit'apertures for accommodating these torsional members. Each of theapertures has associated therewith a laterally extending e1rcular flange25 to aftord Van additional surface engagement between the cross membersand the torsional members. Each torsional member is rigidly connected tothe cross member l1, as for insgance by Welding the same thereto asindicated at 26 but extends through the flanged apertures in the crossmembers 12 and 13 Without being rigidly united therewith. Each bracket17 is provided with a torsional member receiving aperture also formedwith a laterally extending circular flange 27, these orsional iembersextending through these apertures and projecting slightly beyond thebrackets 17 as most clearly illustrated in Figure 1. The ends of thetubnlarmembers 2li are rigidly and .nonrotatably secured to the bracket17 as for instance by Welding as indicated at 27.

rl'hus it Will be seen that the tubular torsional members 24 `arerigidly and nonrotatably connected at their ends to the cross member 11on the one hand and the bracket 17 on the other, which latter elementconstitutes a part of the rear motor support cross member. These tubularmembers will fit snugly in the apertures of the intermediate crossmembers 12 and 13 but Will not be nonrotatably secured thereto, thisnonretatable connection between the tubes and connecting membersoccurring only at the ends thereof. However, this construction forcesthese tubular torsional members' to support the side rails throughouttheir described is demonstratably essential, butV obviously these usefuland novel results and 'the various advantages may be obtainedirrespective ci' the number, construction and arrangement ot the crosstrame members employed. Consequently the underlying principles ot thepresent invention as disclosed in the illustrative embodiment hereinshown yand described, is capable of expression in numerous ways and itshould accordingly be understood that no limitations should be imposedupon the invention by reasonolI any of the details or construction orspecific arrangements o parts herein shown and described, reservationbeing made to make such changes in the essential and all of thenonessential details as may come Within the p vienv or" the accompanyingclaims.

if hat We claim as our invention is: j

1. ln a vehicle chassis or frame construction, a pair et side sills,ai'rame cross inember, a'n'iotor support cross member including bracketshaving spaced attaching Webs rigidly connected to the sills and tubulartorsional members extending substantially longitudinallyl ot' thechassis and rigidly connected to said trame cross member and brackets.

2. A motor vehicle frame comprising sidev sills, a bracket having'spaced attaching Webs connected to said sills, a torsional memberconnected to said bracket between the attaching Webs thereof, and amotor support detachably carried by said bracket.

3. i motor vehicle frame comprising side sills, pair or brackets havingspaced attaching Webs connected to said sills in opjy d relation to eachother, a torsional member connected to said brackets between theattaching Webs thereof, a motor support detachably carried by saidbrackets, and a cross beam connected to said sills and having connectionWith said torsional member.

.in testimony whereof We aiiix our signa-l tu res.

'i WILLIAM n. `NanLY.

LoUis TnoMs.

